


The ends to which I give you life

by sketzocase



Category: All New Wolverine, Dark Wolverine (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Amputation, Blood, Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Ghosts, Gore, Graphic depictions of violence - Freeform, M/M, Mentioned Abuse, Mother Son Bonding, Sharks, aftermath of torture (sorta), by means of shark, eh dead moms are still moms, kinda late mother’s day Thingy, kinda sappy, sorta kinda suicidal ideation, talk of death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-05-07 16:06:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14674605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sketzocase/pseuds/sketzocase
Summary: Daken finds himself in a very strange position- awaiting a rescue that may or may not come while stranded in the middle of the ocean very much on death’s doorstep. He needs nothing short of a miracle. Which, is strangely enough, exactly what he’s going to get.





	1. On death’s doorstep

**Author's Note:**

> Happy belated mother’s day To all mommy’s, soon to be mommy’s, and wanting to be mommy’s. And if you’re not a mommy, I hope you spent a good amount of time with yours. 
> 
> This is total emotional fluff. 
> 
> Only three chapters long, so yea... should be finished by the end of the week. Barring a hard day at work or two. 
> 
> First will be told from Daken’s POV, then Logan’s, then Daken’s again. 
> 
> And it’s got... ghosts in it.  
> And, like always, read the tags. Non too graphic graphic violence, amputation by means of shark, ghosts, dead moms, talks of suicide, talks of abuse, medical procedures (more so in the next chapter), talks of death, emotional hurt, emotional comfort, sorta kinda maybe death of a major character... but not really. (You’ll have to read to figure that one out. ;) ) 
> 
> And honestly if that doesn’t sum it up as far as tags go then I’m just doing it wrong.  
> Anywho, enjoy y’all. I just wanted to write something fluffy in honor of mother’s day. And it ended up going a little dark.. but hey... I mean- by this point, Y’all know most of my stuff does anyway.

To say this mission has been a failure would be an understatement. 

In fact, in my entire life- this is got to be the sum of all my failures. 

I’m bleeding so heavily that even I don’t know what’s hurt. There’s a general throbbing that seems to ebb and flow throughout my entire body. 

I lean forward, grasping what’s left of the railing of the ship and getting a mouthful of water for my efforts. 

The bastards who left me here are long gone. 

I couldn’t touch them. 

Laura’s not with me- I snuck off without her to finish the mission on my own. 

I stupidly thought I didn’t need the help. That I didn’t need interference. 

That I didn’t need.... family. 

I see I was wrong. 

I’m a lot more introspective when I’m dying. 

Death is the great equalizer, after all. 

Everyone plays her game. Everyone dances her dance. And everyone loses in the end. 

My master taught me that death was a part of life. More so the deaths of others. 

His own immortality being kept in mind- he himself never personally bothered with entertaining the thought of it. 

He never-

My forehead bangs against The wreckage of the ship. What a lovely addition to all my other aches and pains. 

Here I am half way across the world in one of the most ‘haunted’ cities of the known world. I suppose I’ll be adding to it’s rank of the dead here shortly. 

The pain is too much. The debris I’m clinging to- my life line- is sinking. 

I hear splashing in the distance. An animal. An aquatic animal. Probably drawn to me by the blood in the water. 

I don’t know which I’d favor more- drowning or being eaten. 

A real catch 22 if I’ve ever heard one. 

Kind of an ‘out of the frying pan into the fire’ situation. 

I’ve done nothing worth celebrating- I don’t know who I have left to mourn my passing. Or even when the people I do know will find out that I’m dead. Or how- for that matter. 

The one relationship that I’m leaving behind- the one with my sisters- is all the good that can be said about me. 

If I got another chance....

No. I’m not going to think it. 

I’m not going bargain with the fates. 

Death has come. 

She always does. 

And in the end- I always go with her. 

My life is a constant torment. 

It’s really the only thing that’s been consistent. 

Everything I’ve done.... everything that’s been done to me- it’s all one in the same. 

I perpetuated the cycle. 

I was hurt- so I hurt. 

I was done wrong- so I did wrong. 

There is no power to be gained from fighting death. 

There is no... use. 

The splashing gets closer. 

I use the last of my energy to try and pull myself further onto the debris- if for anything to drown before I’m eaten. 

I lay my face on the broken wood. The smell of sea salt greeting my senses in an overwhelming, final, condemning assault. 

I would change so much if I could. I would...

A light shines from above me- a light where there should not be one. 

I lift my head to be greeted by a woman- standing atop the debris. A woman where no one should be standing. One that was not here a moment ago. 

She’s so familiar it hurts. Her eyes... soft. Black hair falls around her face- drifting in the ocean breeze. Her face- angelic. I know her.... I just... don’t know from where. 

She’s of Japanese decent... I can always tell. Her clothes are flowing- white. Almost looking like something one would be buried in. If they’d been alive several decades ago. Traditional- is the word I’m looking for I think. 

For some reason- her presence doesn’t startle me. I think I’ve lost too much blood. I’m water logged and half my body is detached and floating in the water- my right arm, my left shin, a few fingers off my left hand, good portions of skin- just ripped from my body and thrown into the tide. A mysterious woman is the least of my worries at this point. 

She cocks her head to the side and smiles. “There you are.” her voice is strongly accented. 

“And..” I choke and sputter. “You are?” I say weakly. 

“A friend,” She says gently. “The first you ever made.” 

That’s strangely cryptic. 

“I don’t have any friends.” I close my eyes only to feel a cold touch on my face. 

“Then it’s time you made some,” She says sweetly

A splash comes closer. I can see a fin in my peripheral.

“Let’s go somewhere private,” She says. 

“How?” I glance around- only to see open water. 

“Like this.” The woman snaps her fingers and everything fades to white. I’m sitting at her feet underneath a canopy of cheery blossoms. It’s... nice. 

The woman crouches down and offers her hand to me. “I don’t bite.” She smiles. Her smile... it’s so familiar. Like I’ve seen it every day of my life. I can’t place her. I don’t know her. I don’t know how she’s doing this. 

“Akihiro,” She says- shocking me for the millionth time, “Take my hand,” She says gently. “Please.” 

I extend my hand- which is slightly shaking- and put it in her cold embrace. 

She pulls me to my feet, putting her arm around my shoulder while still holding onto my hand, and leading me to the base of one of the many trees. “Sit.” 

I am in no position to argue with her. 

I take a seat, too exhausted to stand on my own. 

“Now,” She sits beside me, “Are you aware of what’s happening?” She asks. 

I shake my head. 

“You’re dying,” She says. “Well, almost dying.” 

I nod. 

“You’ve been betrayed and abandoned for dead,” She says. “The pain you’re in is crippling your body. In a matter of moments, you’ll drown.” 

Well... that seems final. 

“Are you... an angel?” I ask. 

She smiles. “You could see it that way.” 

“...are you going to save me?” 

“That depends on if you want to be saved.” She puts her cold hand on my face. “Let me look at you,” She says softly. 

I don’t find her calculating gaze uncomfortable. I don’t know what she’s looking at... but I don’t find it uncomfortable. 

“Your father’s eyes,” She says, shaking her head. “I always hoped you’d get his eyes.” She smirks. 

Her smirk looks even more familiar. 

“Who are you?” I ask. 

“A friend,” She says, brushing her thumb on my cheek. “Now,” she lets me go, taking my hand instead. “You have a series of options,” She says. “The first being.... you die. You come with me. You stay with me. It’s a peace filled trip. I will not abandon you,” She says. “The second... and the harder choice, is that you fight just a while longer. Just a few moments. You’re very close to be rescued- you know.” 

“I... am?” I ask in confusion. 

“Uh hmm.” She nods. “I’m leading them to you as we speak.” She smiles again. “If the stubborn man will heed my instructions for once in his life.” 

“.... who are you?” I ask again. 

She smiles. “You look like your mother- do you know that?” 

“My father said something about it once upon a time,” I say dismissively. 

“You should take it as a complement. Your mother was a beautiful woman.” She’s grinning like she’s told some kind of joke. 

“I never met her,” I say. 

“You wouldn’t know her... if you saw her?” The woman asks teasingly. 

I shake my head. “I’ve seen her in a memory... but it wasn’t my memory. It was-“ 

“Your father’s,” She says. “Probably the one from... Jasmine Falls I believe it was. It was his favorite place once upon a time.” 

“You know my father?” 

She smiles warmly. “Yes.” 

“And... does he know you?” 

“Quite well.” She rubs her thumb over my knuckles. “They took your claws,” She says. 

I nod. 

“Ripped them out. They’ll regrow. You’re are... bone still- correct?” 

“How do you know about my claws?” 

“I know much,” She says cryptically. 

“And yet you still won’t tell me who you are,” I say. 

She smiles. “I’m giving you as much as I can.” She brings my hand to her mouth and kisses my knuckles. The gesture makes me feel better for some reason. “No one ever kissed your wounds when you were younger,” She says. “It’s supposed to make children feel better.” 

A light goes off somewhere in the back of my mind. 

“I know you,” I say. 

“I should hope so,” She smiles, letting go of my hand. “But we’re not talking about me. We’re talking about your decision.” 

My decision? 

Right. The ‘die’ or ‘fight’ decision. 

That’s a tough call. 

Is my life really worth continuing? 

At this rate it’s not like they can claim something stupid like suicide. 

“Is it worth fighting?” I ask quietly. “Nothing in my life makes sense. It’s all pain.” 

“I know,” She says. “I know it is. You’ve suffered much.” 

She’s right. I have. To fight would be to extend my suffering. 

“He made me to suffer,” I say off handily. 

“HE did not make you,” She says somewhat hotly. “Your parents made you. He stole you.” 

“You... know who I’m talking about?” I ask in confusion. 

“Yes,” She says. “And he did not make you. Your father and your mother made you. Very carefully. Very thoughtfully. With as much as they could put into the act.” 

“I’m... sorry.” I feel like apologizing. I don’t know why she would get offended on their behalf. “I... have to ask... again... who are you?” 

She smiles. “A friend,” She repeats. “I already told you.” 

“I’ve never met you,” I say. 

She smiles. “You see me every time you look in a mirror.” 

Her words fall like bricks in my mind. 

My mouth is slightly ajar. 

“This is the most haunted place in the known world..... remember?” She taps my forehead with her finger. “The connection here, even in the middle of the ocean, between the dead and the living is a strong one.” 

I.... don’t know what to say. 

“You can shut your mouth when you’re ready,” She says. “I know this is... jarring.” 

“You’re-“ 

She looks me over with a smile. “Yes.” 

“But-“ 

“I know.” 

“And-“ 

“Uh hmm.” She takes my hand again. “Now that that’s out of the way, we can discuss your decision more in depth,” She says. “You can stay with me- I won’t hold it against you- or you can fight and wait for rescue. With full disclosure that they are very, very, very, near you. Your recovery will be painful. Your life will continue on as it always has..... unless...” She pauses. “You’re willing to make the needed changes.” 

“I can’t change,” I say quietly. “I’ve tried.” 

“Wrong,” She says with a smile. “You’ve thought about trying. You can change for your sisters- you can change for everyone else.” 

“Why should I?” 

“Because,” She says. “You want to. I know you do. You’ve come so far in the last few years. So far and you don’t even realize it. You can push further. Further than even you think you can. I know you can.” 

She knows I can. 

She.... but she doesn’t know me. She doesn’t know anything about me. I’m the child she never-

“You have your father’s look.” She points to me. “Right there.” 

That makes me smile against my better instincts. It’s quickly followed by a grimace when a sudden pain jolts through my body. 

“Oh darling,” She says gently. “I know you hurt.” 

I nod. “I think I’m being eaten,” I say honestly. 

“You did attract several sharks to your location.... and great whites are known to be spotted in that area.” 

“Great.” Not just any shark- but jaws himself. 

“Give me a moment.” She disappears, leaving me sitting here by myself. 

I.. miss her instantly. More so than I knew I could miss a person. 

When she returns the pain has stopped. 

“That should do it for a while,” She says. “But... you have lost your leg.... I suppose that will grow back?” 

I nod. “Painfully.” 

My mother wraps her arms around me, pulling me close and letting me rest my head on her chest. She has no heartbeat. She has no warmth. No signs of being alive. 

Still... it’s the most comforting embrace I’ve ever had. 

“Shh,” She soothes. “It’s alright darling.” 

Too much is flooding my mind. 

Too many questions. 

Too much pain. 

Just too... much. 

“Shh,” She comforts. 

I didn’t know I was making noise. 

“You weren’t there.” Is all I can think to say. 

“I know,” She says. “I know, my little one. I know.” 

“You weren’t there and I needed you.” My voice is raw. 

“Akihiro- do you honestly think if I had a choice in the matter I would have left you?” She says gently. 

“I needed you,” I repeat, surprised to feel tears on my face. 

“Darling.... I don’t know what you want me to say? That I’m sorry? I am sorry love. I’m deeply sorry that I wasn’t there. You are not the only one affected by my absence.” 

“You left me with him.”  
She pulls me tighter. “He loves you,” She says. “Even when you think he doesn’t.” 

“He drowned me.” 

“Yes... his parenting leaves a lot to be desired- doesn’t it?” She sounds like she’s joking. 

It drags a harsh laugh from me. “Yea... I guess it does.” 

“And you haven’t exactly made it easy on him... have you?” She presses gently. 

I just shake my head. 

“So.... can you do something for me love?” 

I nod. 

She kisses the top of my head. “Try harder,” She says. “Try to think your actions through from all sides. It’s hard at first. It’s hard to see past your training- your father had a hard time of it too.” She pauses. “But if there’s someone- anyone- who knows what you’re going through... even if it’s just a small fraction of understanding.... it’s your father.” I allow myself to be cradled. “Try harder,” She says. “If you can’t do it for you- do it for me. If you can’t do it for me, do it for your sisters.” 

All I can do is nod. 

“Now,” She says. “Akihiro, I’m going to ask you very plainly... and keep in mind that I will know if you lie.” She says. 

I nod again. 

“Do you want to stay here?” 

Do I... to leave the land of the living... to leave everyone I know.... to leave everything I have known... 

But... I’d be with her. 

If I stay.... I can be held. And calmed. And shushed by the one person I know won’t have any ulterior motives. She loves me just for existing. If I go back to living... all I have is Logan. Who... I don’t know his motives sometimes. 

“I... don’t know,” I say. “I don’t want to hurt anymore.” 

“I know you don’t,” She says. “But if you stay here... and like I said- I’m not going to judge you- but if you stay- you leave behind the people that care about you.” 

“The people-“ 

“Your sisters are worried sick,” She says. “The oldest has been manning phones and combing through all the surrounding harbors in the area. The youngest has been crying herself dry when they got news of your little wreck.” 

“I... didn’t know,” I say honestly. 

“Of course you didn’t,” She says softly. “But they care. There’s a man across the sea who’s sitting by his phone waiting for them to find you- alive or dead.”

I sigh. “Johnny.” 

“He loves you, too,” She says. “And he’s quite handsome.” She’s smiling now. 

I can’t help but return her smile. “He is,” I agree. 

“Very strong- that one. Very.... grounding. He’s a good match.” 

“Glad to know I’ve got your approval,” I say, laying back against her more solidly. 

“Darling you don’t need anyone’s approval. Be it mine or anyone else’s. You just need to do what... makes you...” 

“Happy?” I guess. 

“Human,” She corrects. “Your father was the same way. His mind works a lot like yours does- you know. He’s just found ways to drown out the bad parts. To let light in where light belongs and banish the darkness when it needs banishing.” 

I sigh. “I guess.” 

“He forgave the man who hurt me,” She says. “Do you know how hard that was for him?” 

I feel strangely close to tears again. 

She notices and says, “Do you hurt?” 

I nod. 

“Have you lost another limb?” She presses. 

I shake my head. 

“Ah. I see,” She soothes, kissing my head again. “Forgive me for meeting you like this, little one.” 

I like the nickname. I don’t tell her that... but I like it. 

“Why have you never talked to me before?” I ask. 

“Because you weren’t yourself before,” She says simply. 

I... wasn’t myself? 

“...And I am now?” 

She smiles. “You are more yourself now than you have ever been,” She says. “And I am proud of you.” 

God this hurts. 

“You should fight,” She says after a few more minutes. “They’re close to finding you. So very close. It could be over in the next five minutes.” 

“I’m so tired,” I admit weakly. 

“I know,” She says. 

“And I want to stay,” I say.

I’ve made my mind up. I know I only get to make this call once but... being here... with her... it’s all I want. 

“I know you do,” She says. “And staying is the easier option. It is. But, little one, you are not meant for this. Not yet.” 

“I thought you wouldn’t judge me,” I say quietly. 

“I’m not judging,” She says. “The choice is yours. Just know... that while I want you here... I am but one person. To stay with me, you’d be leaving several more who care deeply about you. The man. Your sisters. Your father. Your friends.” 

“I don’t want to hurt anymore,” I say, again close to tears. 

“I know darling. I know. You hurt more deeply than most people. And you pretend so hard to not be in pain that you honestly forget the truth depth of your hurt. But...to hurt makes you human.” 

“Please....” I say. “Just let me stay.” 

She smiles but it’s sad. She puts her finger to my chest- which starts burning. 

“OW!” I cry. “What are you doing?” 

She shakes her head. “Not me,” She says. “Them.” 

“Them?” I grasp my chest. “Who’s them?” 

She nods. “They found you. They’re jump starting your heart.” 

The burn intensifies. 

“Mother-“ 

“I’m afraid it’s not either of our choices anymore darling,” She says calmly. “He’s rather bullheaded.” She smiles. “And we don’t have much time left.” 

“Please-“ I grab her shoulder, holding onto her. “Don’t let me go.” 

“I love you,” She says. “I really do.” She moves her hand to her neck and loosens a hanging chain with something on it. “Take this.” She puts into into my curled hand. “And... tell your father... if you can remember and you’re able... that what he’s looking for is at my mother’s grave- hidden in the base of the tree we met at.” 

“I want to stay,” I say, tearfilled. 

She kisses my head again. “I love you,” She repeats. “And I’m with you. Now... be brave.” 

“Mother-“ 

The white light blinds me and my chest burns more intensely than it did previously. 

Then... there’s nothing.


	2. In the Belly of the Er... fish. Sorta.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ghosts, slight gore, shark attacks, mentioned amputations, father son strained relationship, cussin’, alcohol mention, parental stupidness.... and I think that sums up the tags. 
> 
> (I’m tagging literally everything under the sun and decided to make up quite a few of my own- parental stupidness is gonna be the most popular- me thinks. :) ) 
> 
> Thanks for reading y’all! Let me know what you think!

“Laura- calm down,” I say in what I hope is a helpful tone. “You’re talkin’ so fast I can’t understand you.” Very outta character for her- really. 

She’s definitely riled up about something. 

The girl in front of me, brings her hands to her chest and exhales slowly- almost like she’s mediating. “It’s Daken,” She says- sounding somewhat calmer. 

She’s in her costume. God only knows what she’s up to ‘heroing’ around these parts. 

This place is kinda like the old west in a way. 

At least like the old west they portray in the movies, at any rate. 

“Yea?” Now we’re getting somewhere. “What about him?” 

I knew she was here with him... but I don’t think I want to know what he’s doing. Lately it’s hard to tell whose side he’s on. He’s doing shit to fuck with the x-men... but then he’s helping the x-men... but then he’s fucking with more people... but then he’s helping his sisters. 

It’s like he’s having some sort of identity crisis. 

I never know which Daken I’m going to get when I talk to him. 

The one that ‘missed’ me- sorta- or the one who wants to put me back in the ground. 

I mean- our relationship has always been strained... but the kids taking it to new levels at this point. 

So much so that I kinda just steer clear of him. 

“We were working a mission and he’s gone,” She says. 

“And....” 

“He’s in trouble!” Laura says. “I know it.” 

Yea.. knowing the boy that’s likely. 

“It’s nothin’ he can’t get himself out of,” I assure her. 

Laura shakes her head. “No- the people we’re after have alien tech.... it slows down our healing.” 

“Okay... so he’ll get a little banged up.” I shrug. “That’s what he gets for running off on his own. Maybe it will teach him a lesson about teamwork.” 

“Logan- please.” Laura’s voice is raw. “Help me find him.” 

Fine. Fine. She wants to find her brother. Fine. 

“Fine,” I say. “But he’s just going to be an ungrateful brat about it. Probably pissed that we intervened. Do you really wanna deal with that?” 

“He’s not answering his phone,” She says stubbornly. “Or his comm. He is in trouble.” 

Fine. We’re in some shit hole country and the boys in ‘danger’. Fine. 

“He’s not in danger,” I say. “And if he is- he’ll get himself out of it.” 

I stand up and pull my mask down anyway. 

“He is in danger. And he can’t get himself out of it. As his family- it’s our job to save him,” Laura says. 

‘Family’ is a word she’s using a lot lately. 

Kinda brings hope to my mind- kinda. 

Then again- if she’s using it to make me go walk around the fucking city for hours on end to night... maybe it’s not such a good thing. 

“I’m telling ya- you’re gonna find him and he’s gonna bitch you out for interfering.” I say. 

We move from the bedroom in her hotel- where I’d been using her laptop to communicate with some friends in the states- to the living room. Gabby looks up with teary eyes. 

Uh. Great. A crying kid. 

I’m the worst with crying kids. 

I’ve never had to parent a crying kid before. 

“Hey,” I soothe, “Kid.... what’s wrong?” 

She’s got a radio clasped in her hands. The black box is relaying a message of a really bad ship wreck- apparently involving the gang they’re chasing down. 

“They can’t find any survivors,” Gabby says, sniffling. 

Laura’s head hangs a little lower. “Gabby.... I’m sure they haven’t swept enough area to find all the survivors,” She says. “We’ll go look for ourselves.” 

“There are sharks in those waters,” Gabby says. 

“No-“ 

“I SAW one with my own eyes!” She snaps, balling her fists up in a fit of passion- I guess. 

“Probably just a dolphin,” I assure. 

“A dolphin isn’t that big,” She says. “Plus... I googled it. That shark tracker app has like... ten great whites off the coast. What if he’s getting eaten alive???” 

Not likely. 

“I’m sure he’s fine,” I try to sound soothing. It’s... not my strong suite. 

“Can we go look??? Please.” Her green eyes are watery and her voice is desperate.

“Yea,” I say. “Yea, we can go look.” I grab the radio from her. “Where did they say that wreck was?” 

“Off the harbor down the street,” Gabby says. “But the waves are rough and the wreckage is floating away.” 

Laura nods. “I’ll check the other harbors. See if anything’s washed ashore. Logan- you take a boat and-“ 

“And ride around in the ocean all night?” I ask. “That’s ridiculous. If he’s in the wreck- IF he is- he’s probably already-“ 

I stop, looking at their faces. 

That was heartless. 

“That’s our brother you’re talking about!” Gabby growls, taking the radio back from me. “And your son, if you need reminding.” 

“And you obviously do,” Laura crosses her arms. “Come on Gabby.” 

Gabby sits up from the couch and takes her mask and goggles from the table. 

“I texted Johnny,” Gabby says as they’re leaving the room. “I.. think he’d want to know. Ya know... in case anything bad happens.” 

“That’s very thoughtful of you, Gabby,” Laura praises, shutting the door behind them. 

I’m too heartless when it comes to the boy. I know I am. 

There’s a bridge the two of us have gotta cross. 

And... I guess I’m not making things any better. 

I walk out the hotel room- locking the door and pocketing the key card. 

The hallway is dark- still not recovered from a recent power outage. There was a really bad storm earlier today. Knocked the power out to half of the city. 

I wish Laura would stay in better places. 

Seriously. This place is a dump. 

This whole part of the city is a dump. 

The buildings are too close together, the roads are unpaved, live stock is walked through the main city streets- which means there’s cow, pig, and goat shit everywhere. 

Then there are the rats. Big ass rats. 

You can hear them skittering behind the walls as you walk by. 

If she’d asked for some money for lodging- i woulda helped her out. 

If she doesn’t want to go somewhere nicer for her- she should at least go for Gabby. 

Kids like Gabby get snatched all the times in places like this. 

And the three of them are facing down a notorious ‘kid snatching’ gang. 

Okay well they’re notorious for several things. Kid snatching is just the one that relates to Gabby. There’s a prostitution ring- relating to Laura. And a huge push of narcotics and opioids. Definitely relating to Daken. 

Kid probably got high and decided to go off and do it by himself. 

Seems like something he would do. 

As many times as I’ve told him that he needs to let people in- as many times as I’ve told him that he needs to work on working with others- he still ignores me. 

He runs off and strands his little sisters at some shithole hotel in very dangerous territory and tries to take on the threat on his own. 

Stupid mistake. 

He thinks he’s untouchable. 

That makes him stupid. 

He’s the stupidest smart person I know. 

I think honestly , most of the time, in some fucked up form, he’s missing a good dose of common sense. Should you go take on a gang on a boat in the middle of a storm? 

No. Common sense says no. 

Should you go without back up?

No. Common sense also says no. 

Should you have brought a phone or a comm link in case anything went wrong? 

Yes. Yes. YES. Common sense says that he should have had a back up plan. 

Which, judging from what I know about him and what I know about their plans- I’m betting his ‘plan’ was to board the boat, take the people on the boat hostage, commender the boat and then be the proud owner of his own pirate ship.... who cares if it’s filled with dead gangsters. No one really- not in this city. 

Supposedly that’s why there’s so damn many ‘ghosts’ in this city. Ghosts hold grudges. Well- not all ghosts. The world would have the paranormal enthusiast thinking certain things about ghosts and spirits. Some of them are benevolent- it’s not all horror movies. I mean- yea. That can happen. But it’s completely possible in places like this to see members of the dead who mean you absolutely no harm at all. 

In the dark the puke green carpet looks pitch black. The dingy walls- covered in dirt and grime and for some reason grease from hand’s that haven’t been washed- look gray. 

A lot like the fucking ocean I’m about to have to go float around in. 

I mean... the boat probably wrecked because of the storm. 

There were some pretty nasty swells- I’ll admit. 

If the boy was caught out in that....

Let’s forget for a moment that if he is wrecked- if he is- he’s surrounded by water on all sides. 

And... thanks to me... it’s something he’s at least a LITTLE afraid of. 

Good job Logan. Great parenting. 

Still kicking myself in the ass for that one. 

I walk out of the hotel and into the cramped, dirty, street. Following the scent of sea salt to the ocean. It’s not a long walk. I have a boat tied up there... it’s actually where I’ve been sleeping the last few days. 

There’s a man with a stall selling some kind of local meat. 

Smells good. 

I could probably stop for some.... 

Then again... Laura’s pretty upset. Might as well get this show on the road. 

The hotel is the largest building in this little block of the city. 

It’s about five stories and lights are shinning out of a small portion of the windows- the ones that still have power. 

The rest of the city block is made of dark red and green buildings and small wooden shacks the closer you get to the water. 

These are sturdy people. Hard working people. 

They may be living poorly- but they fight hard. And you have to respect that- no matter who you are. Seeing someone fight just to stay alive? There’s something breath taking about it. 

I make it to the dock- looking for signs of debris... and fuck do I find them. It looks like a whole ship got demolished. In the distance I can see smoke- something was on fire. Probably fuel that leaked into the water. The debris and the smoke make me a little... nervous. 

I board the boat, going to the steering wheel and starting the engine. 

Out of the cabin, my ‘crew’ poke their heads out. 

“Where do you think you’re goin’?” Remy looks worse for wear. He’s dressed in a pair of baggy gray shorts and is shirtless. Weird because I thought he was going out tonight. 

“Out to sea,” I say, listening to the engine make loud- almost not okay- noises. 

I’ve been kinda rough on it. 

“Non,” He says. “Ya ain’t goin’ out to sea. I been stuck on this boat all day in the middle of storm. I’m sea sick. We stayin’ here.” 

Explains the underdressed state. 

“No can do, Cajun,” I say. “Girls think their brother’s in trouble.” 

He frowns. “Oh yea?” 

I nod. “They think he was in that ship wreck.” 

“And... what do you think?” Remy asks. 

“Eh. I got two daughters worrying. Might as well ease their fears. I’ll give it an hour.. if nothing comes out of it... well... we can at least say we tried.” 

“What’s this?” Piotr sticks walks out onto the deck, behind Remy. “Your son is in danger?” 

“Probably not,” I say honestly. “But.... the girls are worried so.. might as well give it a look see.” I nod to the rope tethering my small black boat. Thing didn’t cost as much as I thought it would. And I’ve taken it damn near everywhere a boat could go. 

It’s got a small living compartment under the deck- big enough for the three of us but just barely. And a large deck up top that’s been weathered and honestly not ‘swabbed’ as much as he could be. Fuck that noise, however. I ain’t mopping a boat. It’s gonna get wet anyway- right. 

Anyway, the boats a trusty little thing.

“If ya want off- how’s the time to do it,” I say. “If not, you’re heading out with me.” 

The two men look between each other and shrug. 

“The storm took half the city’s power,” Piotr says. “There’s no point in finding something to entertain ourselves when half the establishments are shut down.” 

I nod. 

“Then cut that rope,” I say. “We’re heading out into open water.” 

The dock we’re by is small, ports for maybe five ships in total- if the ships happen to be the size of mine. This is more of a fishing bay. Local economy depends on the sea. I wonder how bad this wrecked ship is gonna fuck up the ecosystem. 

Probably not that bad. Debris in the water. A little fuel. It’ll all be okay. 

Pete gives the rope a single tug- his large form exerting very little force. 

God he’s big. 

Even when he’s trying to look nonimposing- which is what he’s doing right now in his jean shorts and tank top motif- he looks big. 

Pete’s marrying Kitty in the next month. Thought I’d let him hang out with me for a while and enjoy his last nights as a free man. 

Remy’s along for the ride. 

Mostly it’s just been sailing and drinking. We ended up here because Laura and Gabby were here. 

Daken too- but I didn’t really get to talk to him much. 

He kinda... avoided me. 

He had his usual snappy retorts- but he didn’t spend much time with me. 

Boy doesn’t know how to react to my return. 

I don’t blame him. 

Laura said my death kinda fucked with his head. 

I wouldn’t have thought it would- lord knows the boy’s tried to put me six feet under many, many times. 

But his sister seems to think he’s ‘resolving issues’ and that I should ‘give him time’. 

He can have ‘time’. So long as he’s behaving and not fucking shit up for me- I don’t care what he does. 

The fact that he’s hanging out with the girls is interesting- and it’s made me a little more wary of his motives.... but so far he doesn’t seem to be up to anything too heinous. 

Whatever. 

Boy’s a grownup. He can deal with his problems himself. He’s made it clear over the years that he doesn’t want or need my help. 

Honestly- I doubt he’s in this ship wreck. 

I bet he did more damage to them than they could do to him. Boy’s good like that. 

We leave the dock and get out into the choppy water. Stopping every now and again to see broken wood, rope, life rafts- usual wreckage stuff. 

Also signs of other rescue vessels. 

They radio us and ask what we’re doing. 

When we tell them we’re helping- they back off. 

I can tell from their tone that they haven’t found anyone alive either. 

It’s clear, from the damage, from the prolonged time at sea, and from the weather, that no one survived this. Any corpses are probably at the bottom of the ocean. 

We spend about an hour at sea before it becomes painfully obvious that we won’t be finding anything. 

“That’s enough,” I yawn. “Let’s turn around. There’s no one out here.” 

The guys are sitting on the deck in lawn chairs, eating a bag of chips and drinking some beer. 

They mumble their agreement. 

As I’m starting to turn the boat around- I hear something. 

A ... whisper. 

More specifically my name whispered. 

The guys look around curiously- meaning they heard it too. 

“What was that?” Piotr asks, glancing around in the darkness. 

“Supposedly this is one of the most haunted places in the world,” I say. “Could be a ghost.” It’s probably something much more common than that- but the look on their faces is priceless. 

“Oh hell no,” Remy says. “I don’t do ghosts, spirits, ghouls, or demons.” He counts the list out on his fingers. 

“Relax, Cajun,” I laugh. “Probably just the wind.” 

“The wind that whispered your name??” He scoffs. “Really? Really???” 

“Telepath?” Piotr suggests. “I’ve often wondered how many of these ‘haunted’ places are actually haunted... or if some just have rogue mutants that are... fooling everyone.” 

“It’s a possibility,” I say honestly, going to turn the boat around again. 

The whisper repeats itself. 

“Whatever you’re doing,” Remy says. “I think you should stop.” 

“Whatever I’m doing??” I laugh. “I’m turning the boat around.” 

“I really think you should stop,” Remy sounds terrified. 

“There ain’t no ghost,” I growl. 

“Logan I think you should reconsider your choice of action,” Piotr says, equally terrified. 

“Oh come on,” I groan. “You too?” 

“Da,” He says. “I think it wise to hold still.... I don’t think we should return to shore.” 

“Hold still?” I turn around to look at them- seeing their ashen faces. “The hell is wrong with you two?” 

Remy points behind me. “I don’t think she wants you to move,” He whispers. 

“Who?” I laugh. 

“The lady,” Remy says. 

“Cajun- for the love of god,” I growl. 

“Turn around,” Remy says, eyes darting to the spot behind me. 

“For what?” I laugh. 

“Turn around,” Remy says forcefully. 

“Remy- if you’re so scared, just get your cards and throw away at whatever ‘ghastly apparition’ happens to be haunting my boat,” I say. 

“You can’t hit a ghost!” Remy snaps. “I know what I see.” 

“You don’t ‘see’ shit,” I growl. 

“Logan... Remy is correct,” Piotr says quietly. “In my experience, in a place so full of the dead, it’s wise to heed their warnings.” 

“Oh so now the ghost is giving us a warning, huh?” I have to laugh. 

“Just turn around- asshole,” Remy groans. “Really.” 

“So I can play your little ‘oh I think I saw something game’?” 

“What’s the saying?” Piotr says. “ “Seeing is believing”?” 

They’re pretty sold. 

“Alright- babies,” I smirk. “I will show you that there is no ghost.” I turn around, trying to humor the little bitches, and everything kinda freezes for as second. 

The ‘lady’ he was talking about is breathtaking. But... I already knew that. In fact, there’s not an inch of this ‘lady’s’ skin that I don’t know. Her long hair blows in the breeze as she sits on the railing of my boat. 

She’s a long way from home- that’s for sure. 

Her face is as lovely as it ever was. 

She smiles, tucking some stay hair behind her ear. 

her skin glows almost- white and pale. 

She never really was able to hold a tan. 

“See?” Remy whispers. 

“I see.” I can’t help but smile. 

“Why the hell are you smiling??” Remy says. 

“No reason.” I take a step in the woman’s direction, wondering if this- like so many of my dreams- will end in her fleeing from me. 

She stays put, stepping down from the railing and standing within arms distance of me. 

“Logan,” She says, her voice warm even after all these years. 

“Darlin’.” I reach out and she grabs my hand- solid. “This doesn’t seem like a place you’d haunt.” 

“Haunt?” Itsu laughs. 

“That’s what this is- ain’t it?” I pause. “A haunting? A dream?” 

She shakes her head. “No,” She says gently. “If I were to haunt you, you’d know.” Her laugh is melodic. Just like it was nearly 80 years ago. 

Shame. If she were to haunt me... at least it would mean I’d get to see her. Even if she was pissed. 

She’s dressed in the kimono she was buried in. Still looking as fresh as the day they put it on her. 

I wasn’t at her funeral- but I know they buried her in it. It was her mother’s. 

“Then it’s a dream,” I say. 

She smiles and shakes her head. “No.” 

“Then.... why are you here?” I ask gently. “Not that seeing you isn’t amazing.” 

She points in a random direction- out at sea. “I need you to follow me,” She says. 

“Out to sea?” I question. 

She nods. “Quickly- if you would.” 

Out to sea. At the behest of my dead wife. 

To anyone else that would be ringing alarm bells in their heads. 

Me? 

Nah. 

I’d follow her to the end of the universe if it meant I got to see her again. 

“....okay.” I step to the steering wheel. “Lead the way.” 

“Logan...” Remy hisses, “Why are you following the directions of a ghost?” 

“This ain’t just any ghost,” I smirk, turning the boat in the direction she pointed.

Itsu walks to the front of the boat, raising her hand over the railing. 

A white light extends into the water- making almost a trail. 

“Hurry,” She says- not looking at me. 

“Logan, this seems a poorly thought out decision,” Piotr says. “Spirits do not always mean well.” 

“This one does,” I say, watching the wind blow her hair. I get a faint whiff of her scent. The oils she used to use on her hair, the soap we had, and her own scent all mixing together. 

I start to follow the trail. 

“This is a bad idea,” Remy says. “You..... are following a ghost far out into the ocean in the most haunted place in the world.” He spells it all out for me. “And you’re dragging US along for the ride.” 

Itsu turns around with a smile. “I mean no harm,” She says. “But I understand your wariness.” 

“You mean no harm- huh?” Remy gets up from his chair and walks towards. “Then what do you mean?” 

She smiles. “I need his help.” 

“You goin’ up to all the random ships and asking for ‘help’ or is it just Logan?” 

“Logan,” She says. “Because he made a vow to help me.” She grins. “ “Til death do we part”- I believe the line is.” 

Remy and Piotr turn to me in shock. 

“That’s my wife,” I say. “What’s left of her.” 

They look between each other and Remy mouths “wife”. 

“She’s pretty- right?” I tease. 

“A truly beautiful woman,” Piotr speaks first. “Though, her presence is some what of a shock.” 

“I needed help,” Itsu says, turning back around. “Keep straight.” Her disappears from sight- seeming to blink out of existence. 

I’m left wondering if that was a shared hallucination. 

Piotr stands to his feet and walks to where she was. “She’s gone,” He says in awe. 

I stop the boat, just taking a moment to think. 

The white light in the water stays. 

“What does she want?” Remy asks. 

“Help,” I say, scratching my head. “You idiots chased her off before I could find out what she needed help with, though.” 

“Excuse me for not jumping for joy that you’re following your dead wife’s instructions to strand us at sea,” Remy rolls his eyes. 

“I don’t think she meant it like that,” I try to defend her- which is honestly the weirdest thing I could have thought to do. 

“Oh really?” Remy says. “You don’t follow ghosts- Logan. It’s like.. rule numbers two three and four.” 

“What’s rule number one?” Piotr asks. 

“Don’t summon ghosts,” Remy says. “Let’s turn back. Before we get lost. Or stranded. Or ship wrecked.” 

I mean.... she is gone. 

“I-“ 

“This way.” Her voice sounds off from the side of the boat. 

Our heads jerk in that direction- only to find her standing on a piece of drift wood far off to the right side of the boat. 

“Logan-“ 

“She wouldn’t hurt me,” I say, determination refilled. 

In the very least, I’m going to get close to her. 

When we get to the drift wood- she disappears again. 

The light is back. 

Through it we can see things swimming in the water. 

Big things. 

Probably things with teeth. 

Remy whistles. “If we wreck we’re going to be eaten,” He says. “If any of us leave this boat- we’re going to be eaten.” 

Gabby’s comments about great whites comes to mind. 

“Then stay on the boat.” 

“A little further,” She’s standing on another piece of drift wood off to front of the boat. Several , several, several feet away. her light is like a beacon. 

“She’s leading us out to shark infested waters in the middle of shipwreck grave yard!” Remy cries. “This is screaming ‘turn back!”” 

“She wouldn’t hurt me,” I insist, following her. “Itsu-“ 

As I reach her she smiles and disappears again. 

This goes on for twenty minutes. Her randomly appearing with directions- not telling me a damn thing- and leading us further and further out to sea. 

I’m not worried though. 

There’s this weird feeling of peace. 

I think even Remy feels it. About ten minutes in- he stops fussing. he sits back down and helps me look for her next spot. 

Piotr has moved beside me, watching silently. 

Finally, she leads us to a spot in the ocean that is littered with debris. 

She’s on some sort of wooden floating platform- but it’s barely staying up. The thing that gets me is- she’s not alone. 

“Logan...” Piotr nudges me. “Look.” 

Itsu is bent down, petting a figure slumped on the platform. 

I say ‘figure’ because it’s hard to tell in the dark what it is. 

Her light shows that it’s human... but there’s a lot of blood. And if it’s a human- it’s missing several of it’s pieces. 

There’s obviously been some kind of shark attack. 

Poor thing probably won’t survive us pulling them out of the water. 

Itsu doesn’t move when I pull up beside her. She stares up at me with a look of determination. “Take him home,” She says. “He’s unable to fight.” 

“That’s a ‘he’?” Remy asks. 

Holy fuck. 

Holy... 

“Go get the first aid kit,” I order. 

Remy doesn’t ask questions. He quickly goes below deck and starts to gather the materials. 

Itsu remains on the raft, stroking our boy. 

“His heart is stopping,” She says. 

“We got... defibrillators,” I say. “Pete- go get them.” 

The large man nods and goes below deck with Remy. 

“Darlin’....” I watch my wife’s concerned face. “If you would have told me you were leading me to him... I woulda come faster.” 

“Or thought it was a trick,” She says. “Hurry.” 

Yea- hurry. 

Now the question is- how do we get him out of the water?? 

Remy and Piotr come back topside with the required materials. “I will lower you in the life raft,” Piotr says. “You will pull him out of the water- quickly.” 

I nod. 

The life raft is a small little boat- wood chipping everywhere... white paint peeling off. 

Whatever. It’s good enough to float. 

Pete lowers me into the water by means of the pulley system that’s rigged up with the life raft- throwing me an oar once I hit the water. 

I cover the short distance to my wife and our child in a matter of minutes. 

“He’s unsure of whether or not he wants to fight,” She says. 

He’s definitely seen better days. He’s missing more pieces than I’ve ever seen him. We’re talking multiple amputations. 

She puts a hand on my face. “Fight for him until he decides,” She says gently. “If he chooses to surrender- I’d much rather he did it surrounded by loved ones than floating on his own in the ocean.” 

If he wants to surrender. 

“He... wants to die?” I ask. 

“I offered the option to him,” She says. “He seems to be keen on taking it.” 

“Why would you offer him-“ 

“I was being honest,” She says. “I was not sure you would get here in time.” 

Fuck. 

I reach over the side of the boat and lift his head out of the water. He makes no noise. Not even a groan. 

“Hey kid,” I say. 

His guts are hanging out- I know the water is bond to be making his wounds twenty times more painful. He’s probably blacked out from pain alone. 

Itsu strokes his face. “Can you lift him?” 

I nod, leaning over the side of the boat. 

He’s water logged as I pull him into my arms and it takes a lot to get him out of the water and into the raft. 

Itsu sighs in relief. 

I row back over to the main boat, throwing him- what’s left of him at any rate- over my shoulder as Remy throws down the ladder. 

I grab on just in time for Pete to start pulling us up- not waiting for me to actually climb. 

It hurts. A lot. Especially when my stomach crashes into the railing. 

But hey- the kids on deck. 

I grab the defibrillator and take the paddles to his chest- not checking the voltage really. I’m just trusting that it will give us enough of a boost to jump start him. 

The first time doesn’t take. 

I try again. 

The second time doesn’t take. 

I try again. 

The third time doesn’t take. 

“I think we lost him,” I say, somewhat panicked. 

“He doesn’t want to fight.” Itsu is behind me- staring. 

“I’m not giving him the choice,” I say stubbornly, shocking him for a fourth time. 

This time, I hear, very faintly, his heart beat start up again. 

“He’s in good hands,” Itsu says. “I love you, but I must go. Please, take care of him.” 

Take care of him? 

Got it. 

“I will.” I promise. 

“Don’t let him push you away,” She says. “Remember... you were once a lot like him.” 

Painful memory- but technically true. 

Itsu smiles as she fades- and I know that’s the last time I’ll see her. 

“Get the gauze,” I say over my shoulder. “And a needle and some thread.” 

I perform as much first aid as I can while Remy pilots us back to shore. 

No one really says anything. 

I don’t think they want to ruin the moment. 

It’s really sad that our family has to have ‘moments’ when the mom is dead, the baby is dying, and I’m stuck inbetween the two of them. 

We make it back to shore and he’s breathing- shallowly, but breathing. 

Laura and Gabby meet us at the dock, accompanied by several people with a stretcher and a waiting ambulance. 

“How-“ 

“I called Laura,” Piotr says. “I hope you don’t mind.” 

I shake my head. “Nah. Thanks.” 

“How did you find him?” Laura asks, looking him over as the medics lift him. “And where’s the rest of him?” 

“Probably in the belly of some kinda shark,” I say honestly. 

The medics start an IV. And start to wheel him to the ambulance. 

“Logan... how did you find him?” Laura asks. 

“Had some help,” The two of us follow after the medics, who are ushering us onto the ambulance where Gabby is already waiting. 

I take a seat in the cramped space and watch them start to work. Oxygen is applied, more IVs, and they’re starting to fix some of the worst examples of my stitching. 

In his hand, curled up and missing several fingers- he’s clutching something. Something... metallic. 

I lean over and pry his grip loose- pulling out a chain. It’s got blood on it and it’s a little worn. On it hangs a ring, a coin with a hole drilled in it for the chain to go through, and a symbol from a temple near where his momma was raised. 

“How did you get this?” I wonder aloud. 

“What is it?” Gabby asks. 

I look up and see her, her sister, and the medics looking at me. 

“Family heirloom,” I say simply. I take it and put in my pocket. I’ll give it back to him- of course I will. I just.. think it needs to be cleaned up first. Given with an explanation.   
“Keep fighting, kid,” I say. “We got ya.” 

It’s what she would have wanted. 

Fuck- it’s what she did want. 

Laura strokes his hand- her own being batted away by a medic. 

“Surprised anyone survived out there,” One of the medics say. He sounds vaguely American. “With all those great whites swimming around.” 

“Yea?” Gabby asks. 

He rolls up some of what’s left of Daken’s costume-showing off his amputated leg. “See these marks?” He asks. 

Gabby leans forward and nods. 

“Great white,” He says. “Big one too. Probably got some teeth embedded in him too.” 

Gabby examines closely. “If you find any- can I have them?” 

“It’s not a question of finding any- it’s a question of how many we’ll find,” The man laughs. “But sure, kid. You can have them. I’ll make sure you get them.” 

“What do you want shark teeth for?” Laura asks. 

Gabby shrugs. “I wanna make a necklace.” 

I can’t help but smile. 

We pull up to the hospital and they unload him- rushing him off for a blood transfusion. Or seven. 

I’m left with my daughters. 

Laura puts her hand on my shoulder. “Thank you,” She says. 

I turn to her. “For what?” 

“Caring,” She says, lifting her mask and wiping her eyes. 

“Darlin’... are you cryin’?” 

“No!” She says quickly. “I just.... i was so worried. The ocean is so big... and there was so much debris. I didn’t think you’d find him in time.” 

“But we did,” I say absentmindedly. 

I can’t help but think about her. About how I only saw her for maybe less than an hour. About how he probably won’t believe me when I tell him about her. 

She was so beautiful. So strong. 

I just... I wish he coulda seen her. I really do. I wish he coulda seen how much she loved him. 

“‘We’?” 

I nod. 

“Who’s ‘we’?” 

“Remy and Pete and a friend of mine,” I say. I don’t want to tell them about her... not until I talk to him first. 

“But there were only two people on the boat,” Gabby says in confusion. 

I reach over and pat her shoulder. “Don’t worry bout it kid,” I say. “Your brother’s gonna be in ICU for a while... have you two eaten?” 

They shake their heads. 

“Come on, then,” I say. “There’s got to be a cafeteria somewhere in this place.” 

“You’re going to tell us about tonight... aren’t you?” Laura asks as I start to usher them into the large hospital. 

“Maybe,” I smile. 

“Maybe??” Gabby groans. “I wanna know about the rescue! And the sharks! Did you see the sharks??? Did you fight a shark???? Did you think to take a picture of the shark??” 

That makes me laugh. “Come on.” 

“Logan....” Laura says. “You have to answer our questions.” 

“Nope. Don’t ‘have to’ do anything,” I laugh again. 

She grumbles something along the lines of me being difficult for no reason. 

Maybe I’ll tell her one day... maybe. 

For now... I’ll just get these kids fed. 

There’s a lot on my mind.... but.... I’m going to appreciate the time i have with them now. 

All of them. 

Even if they don’t want me to. 

Eh. I guess that kinda sums up parenting anyway you slice it.


End file.
